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Gutters · Sunset

Gutters in Sunset, FL

In Sunset, a 5-minute downpour in a 10-year storm falls at 11 inches an hour, and a 100-year storm reaches 15.7. Gutters and downspouts here have to move water that fast, not the gentle rain most gutter charts assume. Sizing, leaves and where the water lands all follow from that number.

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Updated October 2026

Drone view of a single-story home with a brown-gray shingle roof and box vents under large oak trees, a metal carport roof in the corner and a street behind.

Sunset figures this page uses

People (2020 Census)
15,912
Population estimate (ACS 5-year)
13,535
Housing units (ACS 5-year)
5,196
Median year homes were built
1970

Sizing for local rain

Sizing gutters for a Sunset downpour

A 6-inch half-round gutter at 1/8 inch per foot slope carries about 110 gallons a minute under the plumbing code. Downspouts matter just as much. A 3-by-4 inch or 4-inch round leader handles about 192 gallons a minute, so the leader is often the weak point.

Close-up of a fine stainless micro-mesh gutter guard over a white gutter at a shingle roof edge, with oak leaves, catkins and raindrops resting on top (illustration)Illustration

Illustration: micro mesh guard

Use the plumbing code's table for your roof area, not an older rule of thumb. The older table in one manufacturer's catalog was based on records through 1978, so it may understate today's design rain. That gap can change the answer by more than double on the same roof.

Miami-Dade County's rain is heavily seasonal. Between May and October, Miami International Airport collects 76.6 percent of its typical yearly rainfall, with June standing out as the peak at 10.51 inches. Those six months are when your gutters carry the heaviest load.

Code and drainage

Where Sunset downspouts should discharge

Florida's residential code requires downspouts to discharge at least 1 foot from the sidewall, whether by underground piping, tail extensions or splash blocks. Water dumped against a foundation in a Sunset downpour can soak the footing before the storm ends.

Metal or approved plastic gutters need lapped, soldered or caulked joints and corrosion resistant fasteners. Check those joints after each wet season.

Keeping gutters clear

Leaves, trees and cleaning in Sunset

Southern live oaks drop a steady litter of leaves and fruit, and their canopy can reach 60 to 120 feet across. Under a heavy canopy, clean gutters more often than the twice-a-year minimum.

A practical rhythm is cleaning after the spring oak drop and pollen in late April or May, again before the June to September storm season, and after the autumn pine needle peak. Consumer testing found fine-mesh guards clog less but still struggle with a severe downpour, and they still need brushing in high-pollen areas.

Rain on your roof

Preset: 8.52 inches, the 10-year 24-hour rain (NOAA Atlas 14 at Sunset).

10,616 gallons run off that roof, all of it toward the gutters and downspouts.

Math: square feet × inches × 0.623 gallons.

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Questions

Gutters in Sunset: questions

How much rain does a gutter have to handle in Sunset?

At Sunset, a 5-minute downpour in a 10-year storm falls at 11 inches an hour, and a 25-year storm reaches 12.8. Over 24 hours, a 10-year storm drops 8.52 inches. Gutters sized on older, gentler charts can overflow during these bursts, so ask your installer which rainfall basis the sizing uses.

Source: NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Sunset 2020 Census internal point (25.7061, -80.3524), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

How big should my downspouts be in Sunset?

A 3-by-4 inch or 4-inch round downspout carries about 192 gallons a minute under the plumbing code, while a 2-by-2 inch leader carries only 30. Many older houses have small leaders that are the first point of failure. Roof area, pitch and any wall draining onto the roof all change the size you need.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th ed., Chapter 11 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Where should downspouts drain in Sunset?

Florida's residential code says downspouts must discharge at least 1 foot from the sidewall, using underground piping, tail extensions or splash blocks. Keep the water away from the foundation. A county permit may apply if you change the drainage system, so check with Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 8 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Nearby

Gutters near Sunset

Sources for this page(29)
  1. 1.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Permit office: Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) - Building & Permits. Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) - Building & Permits. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  7. 7.2023 Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th ed., Chapter 11 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from COM-20 (the research cites it "as COM-20").
  8. 8.bergerbp.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.NOAA Atlas 14 (HDSC Precipitation Frequency Data Server). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 8 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from NC-2 (the research cites it "as NC-2").
  11. 11.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., R318.5 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription); FBC-Building 1503.7. Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  12. 12.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 3 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  13. 13.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 9 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from COM-29 (the research cites it "as COM-29").
  14. 14.ask.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.thig.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.consumerreports.org. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.blogs.ifas.ufl.edu. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Sunset 2020 Census internal point (25.7061, -80.3524), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Sunset 2020 Census internal point (25.7061, -80.3524), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) - Building & Permits, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  22. 22.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, B25034, B25024, via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.Florida Building Commission, 'Setting New Standards for Safety: The Florida Building Code' (2004 publication; wind-speed figures in it are outdated and not used), Florida Building Commission. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
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  27. 27.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.NOAA Atlas 14 at Sunset: 11 in/hr (5-minute, 10-year). NOAA Atlas 14 Precipitation Frequency Data Server. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Gutters in Sunset

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